Xeriscaping in Central & Eastern Oregon

by Amy Jo Detweiler, Horticulture Faculty for Central Oregon

Whether you are an experienced gardener or a newcomer to the high desert, learning how to suc- cessfully garden here can be an exciting challenge. If given the choice, most of us would choose the beauty of a lush green landscape to one full of rocks and sagebrush; but is that possible in this kind of envi- ronment, providing plants with enough moisture, while conserving water, one of our most precious commodities? It is with xeriscaping, a new gardening trend that combines contemporary conservation techniques with the best elements of traditional landscaping. Not only is it possible to have a colorful and beautiful landscape while con- serving water, but you can also conserve valuable commodities such as energy, time, and money. Below is a list of plants that work well in a water-wise garden. These plants tend to use less water and are more drought toler- ant than other ornamental plants. Jul 2006

Ornamental Trees Shade Trees

Common Name Botanical Name Common Name Botanical Name Alder, Mountain or Thinleaf Alnus tenuifolia Ash, Green Fraxinus pennsylvanica Apricot Prunus armeniaca Ash, ‘Autumn Purple’ Fraxinus americana Aspen, Quaking Populus tremuloides Catalpa, Western or Catalpa speciosa Northern Buckeye, Ohio Aesulus glabra Hackberry, Common Celtis occidentalis Chokecherry, Amur Prunus maackii Honeylocust, Thornless Gleditsia tricanthos var. Chokecherry, Canada Red Prunus virginiana inermis cvs. ‘Schubert’ Kentucky Coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus Crabapple, Flowering Malus hybrids Linden, American Tilia americana Goldenrain Tree Koelreuteria paniculata Linden, Littleleaf Tilia cordata ‘Greenspire’ Hawthorn, English ‘Paul’s Craegus laevigata ‘Paul’s ‘Greenspire’ Scarlet’ Scarlet’ Maple, ‘Autumn Blaze’ Acer x fremanii ‘Autumn Hawthorn, Russian Crataegus ambigua Blaze’ Hawthorn, Washington Crataegus phaenopyrum Maple, Norway Acer platanoides Hawthorn, Winter King Crataegus viridis ‘Winter Oak, Bur or Mossycup Quercus macrocarpa King’ Hornbeam, American Carpinus caroliniana Evergreen Trees Lilac, Japanese Tree ‘Ivory Syringa reticulata ‘Ivory Silk’ Silk’ Common Name Botanical Name Maple, Amur Acer ginnala Cedar, Easter Red Juniperus virginiana Maple, Bigtooth (Canyon or Acer grandidentatum Juniper species Juniperus species Wasatch) Juniper, Blue Star Juniperus squamata Maple, Tatarian Acer tataricum ‘Blue Star’ Maple, Rocky Mountain Acer glabrum Juniper, Chinese Juniperus chinensis Mayday Tree (European Prunus padus Juniper, Creeping Juniperus horizontalis Bird Cherry) Juniper, Savin Juniperus sabina Olive, Russian Elaeagnus angustifolia Juniper, Rocky Mountain Juniperus scopulorum Pear, Ussarian Pyrus ussuriensis Juniper, Western or Juniperus occidentalis Serviceberry, Saskatoon Amelanchier alnifolia Sierra

Evergreen Trees (con’t) Fruits & Berries

Common Name Botanical Name Common Name Botanical Name Juniper, Western or Juniperus occidentalis Apple Malus hybrids Sierra Cherry Prunus spp. Pine, Austrian Pinus nigra Currant Ribes spp. Pine, Bristlecone Pinus aristata Grape Vitus lambruscak cvs. Pine, Limber Pinus flexilis Peach Prunus persica cvs. Pine, Pinyon Pinus edulis Pear Pyrus communis Pine, Ponderosa or West- Pinus ponderosa Plum Prunus cvs. ern Yellow Raspberry Rubus cvs. Pine, Lodgepole Pinus contorta latifolia Rhubarb Rheam rhabarbarum cvs. Pine, Mugo or Swiss Pinus mugo Mountain Strawberry Fragaria ananassis cvs. Spruce, Colorado Picea pungens Spruce, Colorado Blue Picea pungens var. glauca

Broadleaf Evergreens Small Shrubs 1-4’ Common Name Botanical Name Common Name Botanical Name Grape Holly, Oregon Mahonia aquifolium Coralberry, Hancock Symphoricarpos x chenaul- tii ‘Hancock’ Holly, Creeping Mahonia repens Coralberry, Indian Symphoricarpos orbicula- Kinnickinnick Arctostaphylos uvar-ursi Currant tus Mazanita, Greenleaf Arctostaphylos patula Cotoneaster, Cranberry Cotoneaster apiculatus Mountain Mahogany, Curl- Cercocarpus ledifolium Cotoneaster, Rock Cotoneaster horizontalis Leaf Currant Alpine Ribes alpinum Yucca Yucca species Fernbush Chamaebatiaria millefol- lium Leadplant Amorpha canescens Peashrub, Pygmy Caragana pygmaea Potentilla or Cinquefoil Potentilla fruticosa Vines Rabbitbrush, Gray Chrysothamnus nauseosus Sage, Russian Perovskia atriplicfolia Common Name Botanical Name Sage Silver Artemesia cana Clematis Clematis species Spirea, Blue Mist or Blue- Caryopteris x clandonensis Clematis, Yellow lantern Clematis tanguitica beard Silver Lace Vine Polygonum aubertii Spirea Spiraea species Trumpet Vine Campsis radicans Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus Virginia Creeper Pathenocissus quinquefolia Sumac, Gro-Low Rhus aromatica

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Medium Shrubs 4-8’ Large Shrubs (Con’t) Common Name Botanical Name Common Name Botanical Name Apache Plume Fallugia paradoxa Sagebrush Artemisia tridentata or Seriphidium tridentate Barberry Berberis species Serviceberry, Saskatoon Amelanchier alnifolia Bitterbrush Purshia tridentata Burning Bush Euonymus alatus Sumac, Smooth Rhus glabra ‘Compactus’ Current, Golden Ribes aureum Sumac, Staghorn Rhus typhina Plum, Cistena or Purpleleaf Prunus x cistena Viburnum, Nannyberry Viburnum lentago Sandcherry Viburnum, Wayfaring Tree Viburnum lantana Rose, Hardy Shrub Rosa species Sandcherry, Western Prunus besseyi Spirea, Vanhoutte Spiraea x vanhouttei Thimbleberry or Boulder Rubus deliciousus Raspberry Viburnum, Compact Virburnum trilobum American Cranberry ‘Compactum’

Large Shrubs 8’+ Ornamental Grasses Common Name Botanical Name Beautybush Kolkwitzia amabilis Common Name Botanical Name Buckthorn, Columnar or Rhamnus frangula Avena, Blue or Blue Oat Helictotrichon semper- Tallhedge ‘Columnaris’ Grass virens Buckthorn, Fernleaf Rhamnus fragula Bluestem, Big Andropogon gerardi ‘Asplenifolia’ Bluestem, Little Schizachyrium scoparium Buffaloberry, Silver Spheherdia argentea Feather Reed Grass, Karl Calamagrostis acutiflora Cherry, Nanking Prunus tomentosa Foerster Cotoneaster, Hedge Cotoneaster lucidus Fescue, Blue Festuca ovina glauca Forsythia Forsythia cultivars Fountain Grass Pennisetum alopecuroides Honeysuckle, Arnold Red Lonicera tatarica ‘Arnold Indian Grass Sorghastrum nutans Red’ Miscanthus Grass or Miscanthus sinensis Lilac, Common or French Syringa vulgaris Maiden Hair Grass lilac Switch Grass ‘Heavy Metal’ Panicum virgatum ‘Heavy Mockorange, Littleleaf Philadelphus microphyllus Metal’ Ninebark Physocarpus species Peashrub, Siberian Caragana arborescens Privet, Cheyenne Ligustrum vulgare ‘Cheyenne’ Privet, New Mexico or Forestiera neomexicana Desert Olive

3 Ground Covers 1-12” Perennials

Common Name Botanical Name Common Name Botanical Name Bugleweed or Carpet Ajuga species Artemesia or Wormwood Artemesia species Bugle Baby’s Breath Gysophila paniculata Candytuft Iberis sempervirens Balloon Flower Platycodon grandiflora Dianthus, Garden Carna- Dianthus species tion, or Pinks Basket-of-Gold Aurinia saxatile Hardy Cactus Cactaceae Family Bellflower Campanula species Hens and Chicks Sempervivum species Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia species Himalayan Fleeceflower or Polgonum affine Blanket Flower Gaillardia varieties Border Jewel Catmint Nepeta species Iceplant, Purple Delosperma cooperi Columbine Aquilegia species Iceplant, Yellow Delosperma nubigenum Coneflower Echinacea purpurea Mount Atlas Daisy or Mat Anacyclus depressus Coralbells Heuchera sanguinea Daisy Coreopsis or Tickseed Coreopsis species Mountain Gold Alyssum montanum Cranesbill Geranium varieties Penstemon, Pineleaf Penstemon pinifolius Daylily Hemerocallis species Periwinkle Vinca major varieties Delphinium Delphinium varieties Phlox, Creeping or Moss Phlox subulata Double Bubble Mint or Agastache cana Poppy Mallow or Prairie Callirhoe involucrata Mountain Mint Winecup Daisy, Painted Tanacetum coccineum Potentilla, Creeping Potentilla verna-nana Daisy, Shasta Leucanthemum x super- Primrose, Mexican Evening Oenothera berlandieri bum ‘Siskiyou’ Fireweed Epilobium angustifolium Pussytoes or Cat’s Ears Antennaria species Flax, Blue Linum perenne Rock Cress Aubrieta deltoidea Sea Thrift Armeria maritima Foxglove Digitalis varieties Snow-in-Summer Cerastium tomentosum Globe Thistle Echinops ritro Goldenrod Solidago species Speedwell Veronica species Heartleaf Bergenia Bergenia cordifolia Stonecrop Sedum species Hollyhock Alcea rosea Sulfur Flower Eriogonum umbellatum Hosta Lily Hosta species Sweet Woodruff or Galium ordoratum Bedstraw Iris, Tall Bearded Iris hybrids Thyme Thymus species Jupiter’s Beard or Valerian Centranthus ruber Thyme, Woolly Thymus pseudolanugino- Knautia Knautia macedonia sus Ozark Sundrops Oenothera missouriensis White Rock Cress Arabis species Penstemon or Beard- Penstemon species Yarrow, Woolly Achillea tomentosa tongue

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Perennials (Con’t)

Common Name Botanical Name Phlox, Tall Garden Phlox paniculata varieties Pincushion Flower Scabiosa species Poppy, Oriental Papaver orientale Prairie Coneflower or Ratibida columnifera Mexican Hat Rose Campion Lychnis coronaria Salvia or Sage Salvia species Sea Lavender Limonium latifolium Sedum, Tall Sedum species Torch Lily or Red-hot Kniphofia uvaria Poker Yarrow Achillea species

For more gardening information, check out our website below.

OSU/Deschutes Co Extension Service 3893 SW Airport Way Redmond OR 97756

541.548.6088

Http://extension.oregonstate.edu/deschutes

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